Do you like philosophy?

If the answer is yes, then you must read this book. And if the answer is no, this book will completely change your view of philosophy.

This book takes you away from the present and takes you to the ancient Greek era, starting from the philosophers of nature, then Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, then the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque era through Descartes, Spinoza, Hume, and Berkeley, then the Enlightenment and the romantic philosophers, then takes you with Marx, Darwin, and Freud, and then brings you back to the real world after a wonderful philosophical journey through history.

One of the most important things that distinguish this book is that it changes your way of looking at things and pushes you to question the nature of things, their purpose, and to meditate and ask questions. This is the quality that distinguishes us humans from other creatures and is our ability to think, ask questions, search for answers, and answer them.

The book is presented in an interesting narrative format that takes you with it and makes you forget the dull nature of philosophy and the study of history. If it were separated from this format, it would be difficult to digest. Jostein Gaarder made me live in the wonderful world of Sophie, that curious girl who loves knowledge and is always asking questions, and this enthusiasm is quickly transferred to the reader, who also becomes passionate about asking questions.

This novel, despite its large size, entertained me and I spent wonderful days with it, making me love philosophy more and eager to read about it.

Download link: http://www.mediafire.com/download/jd8...

Khaled Tolba

10/8/2013

I have read this novel twice because I like it very much.

The first time was when I was 16 or 17. I borrowed it from the public library by chance. I was attracted by its cover, and it was on a shelf that was not easily accessible at my age.

I read it again after borrowing it from the same library, but this time after reassuring my mother, who always checks what I read with her curious gaze

A Book Full of Delight

A book can be a source of great delight. It is filled with wonderful stories, interesting characters, and engaging plots that can transport us to different worlds and times. Reading a good book can make us feel happy, excited, and even inspired.

Moreover, a book is full of good feelings. It can evoke emotions such as love, compassion, and empathy. We can relate to the characters and their experiences, and in doing so, we can gain a better understanding of ourselves and others.

Finally, a book is a great tool for learning. It can teach us new things about history, science, culture, and more. We can expand our knowledge and vocabulary, and improve our critical thinking skills.

In conclusion, a book is a precious thing that is full of delight, good feelings, and learning. It is a must-have for anyone who loves to read and explore new ideas.

I read this book at the best possible time. I was sixteen years old and my mind had been engaged with basic philosophical questions for a year. I had tried to read my father's philosophical books, but due to the incomprehensibility of the content, I had faced severe failure. Then suddenly I found this book and devoured it, and sometimes I tried to memorize it.

About two or three years later, my younger brother became involved in philosophical questions. That was the time when, imitating this book, I placed three philosophical letters in three unexpected places for him, in which I mainly addressed very general issues in a very simple way. The first one was about self-awareness, which I posted for him under his name; the second one was about ontology, which I printed on a sheet of paper and put it on his exercise book so that he could see it in the morning before class. The third one was about epistemology, and I don't remember how I delivered it to him.

Contrary to my expectation, the impact of these three letters was so severe that I was horrified and doubted whether I had done the right thing or not. These three letters made a huge change in the course of my brother's life. If this course does not lead to success, I don't think I can forgive myself. In short, I said don't do this with the children in your family for a while!

A beautiful book, but don't expect a fictional narrative as in novels; rather, it is closer to a historical book but in a charming way.

It is recommended for lovers of philosophy and beginners in this field.

This book offers a unique perspective on philosophical ideas and their historical development.

It presents complex concepts in a simple and accessible manner, making it suitable for those who are new to the subject.

The author's writing style is engaging and interesting, which keeps the reader hooked from start to finish.

Whether you are looking to expand your knowledge of philosophy or simply want to read an interesting book, this one is definitely worth checking out.

So, pick up this beautiful book and embark on a journey of discovery into the world of philosophy.

The World of Sufism is a book that I had long intended to read. I read it several times and got halfway through until this time I decided to push through to the end no matter what.

The World of Sufism, like most introductory books, talks about a lot of things regarding the history of philosophy but also says very little. This is exactly my problem with introductory books in any field. However, when it comes to philosophy, this ambiguity is even more frustrating at the level of movement.

Nevertheless, The World of Sufism has an important difference from other introductory books: its narrativeness. Like other seemingly narrative books, it deeply makes us think. Although the theme of the book was rather thin, it had a great impact on the attractiveness of the story and especially the good ending of the book. In such a way that perhaps I can say that from my point of view, a better ending for the book is unimaginable.

At times, due to the volume of the book, the sequence of philosophers, and the not very strong storyline, its pace became tiresome. But I think this book teaches us the alphabet of philosophy well and in simple language. By reading it, we can understand whether we are interested in philosophy or not.

I do not recommend the audio version with Mina Doroudian's voice and the printed version with Mehdi Samasar's translation. In my opinion, Hassan Kamshad's translation is the best translation.

Memories of the book:

In the eyes closing one after another, we get used to the world itself. As if in the process of growing up, we lose the amazing power of the world.

...

The philosopher never gets used to the world.

...

Everything is full of God.

...

One who has no belief in himself is an unbeliever.

...

The only thing that can make a person steadfast is faith.

...

Shame or shamelessness are concepts that depend on the customs and behaviors of a society.

...

Wisdom and conscience can be compared to muscles. If we do not use any muscle, it becomes weaker and weaker.

...

True happiness does not lie in external factors and external things such as financial statements, political power, and physical health. True happiness lies in the fact that a person can be freed from the bondage of these external and unstable things.

...

Jesus believed that the kingdom of God is love for one's kind, sharing the sorrows of the poor and the helpless, and forgiving all the lost.

...

In fact, all of us are within Him, we move in Him and have our being.

The fact is that the one who finished the book is not the one who started it.

This statement holds a certain truth. In many cases, a project or task may undergo various changes and transitions. The person who initially begins something may have different circumstances, ideas, or capabilities compared to the one who ultimately brings it to completion.

Perhaps the original starter faced unexpected difficulties or had to shift their focus to other matters. On the other hand, the one who finishes might bring fresh perspectives, additional skills, or a stronger determination to see the task through.

It is also possible that the nature of the work itself evolves during the process, requiring different expertise or approaches. In conclusion, while the beginning and the end of a project are both important, it is not uncommon for different individuals to be involved in these two stages.

الحقيقة ان الذي أنهى الكتاب هو شخص غير الذي بدأه.

The book was very good. I learned a lot from it and became very eager to follow the views and analyses of Spinoza, Hegel, Darwin, and Freud.

It opened up a new world of knowledge for me, allowing me to explore different philosophical and scientific ideas.

The works of these great thinkers have had a profound impact on various fields, and I am excited to delve deeper into their thoughts.

By understanding their perspectives, I hope to gain a better understanding of the world around me and make more informed decisions.

I believe that continuous learning and exploration are essential for personal growth and development, and this book has inspired me to continue on this path.

**The Visible Review No. 140 Amidst the Book**

I have heard of this story for a long time. It is considered a good introduction for beginners in philosophy. I was hesitant about it as I expected it to be a historical novel. It bases its narration on a historical event and rewrites it in a story format, not necessarily adhering to its true facts, which does not make it a source of knowledge. However, it was not like that. Justine Garder did not interfere in the history of philosophy story and did not add to what is in the books of the history of philosophy. But he placed it within a story between a girl named Sophie, on her fifteenth birthday, and a philosophy teacher named Alberto Knox, who would send her letters in philosophy lessons, starting with the questions "Who are you? Where did the world come from?"

Through these questions that may seem obvious at first, she learns that the philosopher is a man who did not accept the world as a certainty and did not lose the wonder of children towards himself and the world around him. And before all that, he is a human who knows that he does not know, and therefore he does not stop searching and asking.

And through these lessons that developed later and became familiar after she met this teacher, Sophie learns about the history of philosophy over approximately 3,000 years, starting from Thales, around 600 BC until the present era.

And presenting philosophy as a story between a man who knows philosophy and a small girl added an element of enjoyment to it. So the conversation was not one-sided, but there was a dialogue between them. Sophie responded with the same questions and objections that may occur in the mind of a philosophy reader. The teacher added explanations and examples. The author of the book is a professor of philosophy and knows the questions that may circulate in the mind of the reader.

It is true that there is some abbreviation and shortening. For example, Sophie's world story talked about the three Milesian philosophers in one and a half pages, while they were discussed in twenty pages in Anthony Gottlieb's book "The Dream of Reason". This is natural for Sophie's world to survey the history of philosophy from Thales until Sartre. But this shortening does not reduce the value of the book and its enjoyment for everyone interested in philosophy. And I am against evaluating it as a novel. Judging it by the standards of the novel and the story wrongs the book whose importance lies in its ability to simplify the history of philosophy in the context of a story between a teacher and a student, and adding an element of charm to it through its plot in which the author embedded Berkeley's philosophy.

Oh, I feel as if I have returned from a time-travel journey to a childhood day of my dreamy childhood, and as if I have just returned from a journey with the Harry Potter series or the Arabian Nights, but here the stories are philosophical, and each night carries with it a philosopher's story and his thought.

This charming game presented to me in the form of a novel was able to inspire me with a new definition of philosophy. Through it, I learned that "philosophy is not about learning, but about thinking about how to learn."

Do you ask me about my feeling with this book? It's a strange feeling, as if I have just returned from a city of entertainment that many of us adults do not admit is aimed at us, but we don't have ourselves when we see that fast train, the flying horse, and the colliding cars. So we reward our children by sitting with them, and inside us, we feel pleasure and joy. Yes, that's how I felt when I read the book. Because I know for sure that philosophy will never be with this beauty and that charm that Jostein Gaarder has shaped. The reader of any philosophical book knows that philosophy means the pain of uncovering the truth and stripping life of its falsehood. Therefore, the results of this reading conflict with the results of the usual philosophical readings and their effects. This is the awareness that usually produces pain and suffering, or at least that's what I always felt. Not to mention the heaviness and the cognitive weight that always burdens you after every new philosophical knowledge. But here, this is a novel and not a philosophical book. This is a wonderful and amazing story pattern, not a theoretical model. The author was able to present philosophy in the style of Scheherazade, making you want to know the story every night and waiting for its continuation.

The novel is smooth in its narration, charming in its presentation. It presents philosophy in the form of a beautiful story like those told to children before bedtime, gentle, pure, amazing, as amazing as a Sufi moment of knowledge. And the amazing thing is that I will recommend it as the most beautiful novel that presents philosophy in its long history in a beautiful and charming style for those between the ages of 13 and 60. This is what distinguishes it. It is suitable for everyone, enjoyable, rich in knowledge and information. And at the same time, it is a novel that contains the elements of intrigue that any political novel should have. Its style pulls you to know more. The value of the knowledge presented in it is not less than its impact on the soul, and the smoothness of the narration and its simplicity are not more precious than the value of the knowledge. This is the equation of beauty in this novel.

The novel carries a high dose of mythological information. I was shocked by the number of words of Greek origin that date back to Greek myths or places or names that we still use in our educational names and our knowledge fields today.

And among the observations that accompanied me under the shadow of my reading of the philosophers' concepts and their ideas at once, is that many of them approached the truth or almost touched it. There are those who defined the truth for us but in a foreign language to us, so we thought its meanings were different from ours. But the difference was in his language in an attempt to convey the idea. For example, when one of them says, after a long meditation, that he believes there is a mover for the universe, and that there is, for example, a deity that we try to reach, and that there is a mind governing the universe, all these are confessions of the existence of God, but they had to come only in this expression. Also, the patterns in which they see life, which we think some of them completely contradict our religious method. When you try to think about them, you will find that in essence, they agree with your method in the idea, but they differ in the description. For example, Epicurean philosophy, which calls for pleasure as an absolute good and the main goal. When you look at it from the outside, you think it is opposed to Islamic philosophy, which presents ethics and high morals over pleasure and desires. But if you stop for a while, I will take the role of the mysterious sir with you as he did with Sophie :). And I will ask you: when you do good, why do you do it? You will say that you do it because you want to be characterized by high ethics and noble qualities. Well, let's ask you again to determine the goal. Why do you want to be characterized by ethics and nobility? Because this raises your rank and increases your virtues. And why do you want that? Because this is your way to enter paradise. And why do you want to enter paradise? Because in paradise, all the pleasures that you left in the first place because they were temporary are available here as permanent. In fact, you will find the use of the pattern of seduction for the pleasures of paradise such as wine and women, and even the pleasure of looking at the face of God, among the methods used in the Quran frequently. So does this conflict with Epicurus? In fact, no. In fact, it falls into the depth of his philosophy, because he also calls for presenting the permanent pleasure over the temporary one. But let's clarify the points of difference with him - with the note that what I mentioned is based on the simple definition of his philosophy mentioned in the book and does not necessarily mean that I am familiar with it. The goal is to convey the idea by giving an example - the first and most important is that Epicurus undoubtedly does not believe in the afterlife. So the permanent pleasure for him is what you consider the longest life compared to others in this life. And second: the essence of his philosophy revolves around this principle. Here lies the difference with all philosophers, not just Epicurus. The real problem is not in adopting some of their methods in looking at life and thinking from their angles. In fact, you may use the Socratic method without your awareness as a witness to the validity of a legal ruling, for example. And also, you may take the Epicurean style as a way to encourage people to do good. But the difference between you and them is the non-limitation of your understanding of life and existence to their angles. And what happens to you as a believer is that your concept is broader, more inclusive, and more complete. And this overall project may include some partial angles that agree with many of their ideas. Because one of the biggest problems of philosophy is that it is not sufficient to provide a complete explanation of the universe and life. Also, much of it agrees with it in the general idea. But the exaggeration in understanding this philosophy reveals to you large holes. Some of them may exceed the black hole that swallows you into meaninglessness and loss. So let me explain to you the effect of philosophy on me and its influence on me. It makes me see through its microscope many of the small things that perhaps I never thought about in a day. But in my general view of life, the first thing I do is throw its lens away. Because there is no lens more inclusive, broader, more logical, more orderly, more methodical, and more complete than the religious lens for life in general.

If you ask me what the greatest benefit I got from this book is, I will tell you - thanking Mr. Jostein with a deep thank you that I did not count for it - it is the arrangement of the history of philosophy in my mind. There were scattered pieces of the famous puzzle of the general history of philosophy in my mind. And this novel reconstructed it in a sequential and clear way, which made the picture orderly, clear, and complete in front of me now.

I was impressed by the author's gentleness and his wisdom. The author is very gentle and polite in presenting the philosophers' views. Every time he presents a philosophy, he presents it as if he is in its class, so that you cannot determine his true position. Nor can I rule out that he does not find a contradiction between these philosophies. In fact, they express points of view from different angles, as I felt through his presentation and his objectivity.

The secret of the novel and its beauty lies in the fact that the author did not content himself with shocking us through his talk about the philosophers. Rather, the secret lies in the Sufi world. He was able to draw through it an idea that disturbs you and trembles in your gray cells. The bomb that he throws at Sophie through the pages of the novel was, in my opinion, the star of the novel.

Note on the margin of the conclusion: Don't forget your place from the side of the rabbit that came out of the hat of the universe :)

I read Sophie's World in Norwegian last year and was really fond of it.

Now, my inner German child, who has decided to call himself "Manfred", has also read it.

He tells me that it completely blew him away and he wants to write a review so that all my friends on Goodreads can know how amazing it is.

"You can't write a review, Manfred," I say. "You're not even three yet."

"I'm much older than that!" Manfred exclaims. "Would a three-year-old know words like Schwerkraft, Rationalismus, and Nahrungsmittelproduktion?" I have to admit that he seems to have picked up a lot of vocabulary, which makes him even more annoying than before.

"So what was so great about the book?" I ask Manfred with as much patience as I can gather. "You know, it's not very well-written. And the philosophy is kind of obvious. Not to mention actually incorrect in a number of places."

Manfred makes a rude sound. "You're too old to understand," he says smugly. "You don't see how astonishing and mysterious the world is. You're so dumb that you think you understand it. Kids like me know that we don't understand it at all. It might be completely different from how you imagine it is, but you never stop to think about that anymore."

"Well," I say defensively, "I do understand that. I read books on quantum theory—" But Manfred doesn't want to hear it. Quantum theory is insignificant to him.

"I mean completely different," he says with the contempt only a geeky preteen can feel. "You don't get it. You read the book too quickly."

"That's because I know how to read," I snap. Manfred looks hurt for a moment, but then comes back strong.

"You don't read properly," he says. "You just skim. I read it all, every word, and I really thought about it. See, Sophie believes at the beginning that she knows who she is, but she finds out she's wrong. She thinks she's an ordinary girl in an ordinary Norwegian town, but that's not who she is at all."

"Sounds totally different from every other bestselling YA novel," I agree sarcastically. But Manfred is not impressed by my irony.

"It is totally different from every other bestselling YA novel," he says. "She doesn't discover she has some crappy superpower or whatever. She learns the truth by working hard and studying philosophy. Real philosophy."

"Sort of real," I say.

"Real enough," Manfred says. "She discovers she isn't an ordinary girl at all, she's just a character in a book. And because she's studied philosophy, she's able to figure out how to escape."

"Yeah, how does she escape?" I ask. "The ending doesn't make sense. That stupid tea party—" Manfred looks smug.

"I told you, you read it too quickly," he says. "The ending makes perfect sense. You remember they talk about Freud, and the unconscious, and the Surrealists, and automatic writing? And how Alberto has a plan he can't explain?"

"Yes," I say doubtfully.

"Look," Manfred says, "It's simple. The reason the writing stops making sense is that they trick the Major into letting his unconscious take over. And they hint several times that the Major isn't the real author either, and that maybe even he's being written. They don't just trick him, they trick Gaarder too. He loses control of his characters, and Sophie and Albert escape. They really do get out into the world."

"Well..." I say. Damn, is it possible that this little brat noticed something I missed?

"And you see," Manfred continues, "Maybe it doesn't even stop there. Maybe I'm just a character in a story. Maybe you are. How do you know?"

"I'm real," I protest. "And I still think the ending sucked." Manfred laughs.

"I keep telling you, you're too old," he says. "Now post my review. I promise, even if you don't get it, some other kids will."

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder is, in my view, an ambitious undertaking that disappoints. It serves as a decent introduction to European philosophy, with some passing references to Eastern thought for comparison. Beginning with the Pre-Socratics, it offers a relatively simple and comprehensive overview of classical philosophy. It then detours into Christian theology and the Middle Ages before emerging with Renaissance thought. Towards the end, it delves into Marxism, Darwin's theory of evolution, and Freud's psychoanalytic techniques as if they were "philosophies," while neglecting many other ground-breaking scientific discoveries. It concludes with Sartre's existentialism. It seems aimed at young readers and may inspire some serious ones to study philosophy, which is to its credit.

Regarding the literary merits of the work, I must unfortunately give it a resounding thumbs-down. The story is mostly dialogue, and Gaarder employs Plato's age-old technique to convey complex philosophical ideas through relatively simple sentences. While the intention is admirable, the execution leaves much to be desired. Sophie often comes across as rather dim-witted, and her teacher Alberto sounds pompous. Of course, there is some justification for the imperfect characterization, as Sophie and Alberto exist only in the mind of Major Albert Knag, who is writing their story. Still, the overall responsibility as the author lies firmly with Gaarder. Towards the end, the style of dialogue becomes so repetitive as to be irritating. For example, the sentence "a mere bagatelle, Sophie" is chanted by Alberto at regular intervals. It may be a translation issue, but I doubt it.

Gaarder's attempt to frame this (novel? treatise?) as a "story within a story" fails due to the inept execution. Towards the end, as Sophie and Alberto "escape" from the book into independent existence in the land of imagination, the narrative structure collapses. The "Philosophical Tea Party" reads like a cross between a scene from a Beckett play and a Bunuel movie. By the last third of the book, the reader eagerly awaits the end. I would only recommend this book to casual young readers seeking an introduction to European philosophy. For those who are truly serious, I would suggest The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant, which is a far superior and more engaging book.